<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>I Will Show You Where The Red Lilies Bloom by Casimir</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26800690">I Will Show You Where The Red Lilies Bloom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casimir/pseuds/Casimir'>Casimir</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal, Arranged Marriages, Cowgirl Position, Feudal Japan, First Times, Frotting, Gender Fuckery, Humping through your clothes, M/M, Oral, Switching, both of them top, geisha au, “Someone’s going to die”</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:41:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,742</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26800690</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casimir/pseuds/Casimir</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Goro has a problem, and that problem is a beautiful girl who works as a maiko in a tea house. Goro’s problem is that he’s not interested in women.</p><p>(It ends up not being that much of a problem in the end, because Akira isn’t really a girl but that doesn’t stop him from being beautiful.)</p><p>Inspired by D_Maradine (@Mara_Dine)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist, background makoharu - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>196</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Will Show You Where The Red Lilies Bloom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So before we get this show on the road I just wanted to say this entire thing throws history straight out the window and doesn’t look back!</p><p>Mara pitched an idea in the 21+ akeshuake jail about Goro having a Mulan style gay panic, but because it’s him it’s a *straight* panic lololol</p><p>https://twitter.com/Mara_dine/status/1312506698146299904</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Goro was in trouble. His mouth was dry, not for lack of drinks, but for the stunningly beautiful woman that sat across from him. Her form was perfect, legs tucked underneath her, gently plucking at the shamisen in her hands. She wasn’t one of the usual girls that appeared when Shido and his cronies booked out their ochaya, but Goro hardly paid attention to the lineup— usually netting him mocking comments about his frigidity. </p><p> </p><p>They had long since learnt to ignore the strangely serious boy, only interacting with him in the boundary of politeness, unlike the older men that drank and smoked and laughed heavily (and happily paid up even more money when his favourite girl laughed in just the right way). Now though, Goro could hardly tear his eyes away. She had dark grey, serious eyes that stood out like a brand against her pale painted skin. The sheer number of red hair ornaments meant she was still in training but not once did she stumble or falter during the difficult songs they played. When she got up to dance, Goro thought his heart was going to stop— or even beat straight out of his chest.</p><p> </p><p>Goro’s problem, here, was that he had <em> never </em>been interested in the female form before. His father had tried many times to ply him with the same pleasure women that he brought home or to bribe the geisha into sleeping with him. It had never worked. Women just weren’t his type.</p><p> </p><p>He’d known he liked men since he was newly turned 12 and woke up in the middle of the night to an uncomfortable feeling and the thought of the man that tended his father’s horses.</p><p> </p><p>It was knowledge he was sure he would take to his grave. His father would arrange a marriage to some pleasant looking woman that he thought would serve Goro faithfully. Goro would force himself into having a child and never touch her again (he’d explain, eventually, to her. If she was upset about it). Or he could go with his other plan and kill his father, succeed the Daimyo position, and put the whole sorry business behind him.</p><p> </p><p>He resisted the urge to laugh darkly, instead glancing back at the serious looking girl— who <em> looked up and they locked eyes and Goro was going to burst into fire right there </em>— who nodded a greeting to him as she gently whirled around on the tatami mats. When the dance was over, she came straight over and sat delicately next to Goro.</p><p> </p><p>This was the worst idea Shido had ever had in his entire life. Goro was going to kill him just for this. All his past grievances were nothing. He kept his eyes locked resolutely on the table where the maiko was now <em> pouring him a new cup of tea and offering it to him. </em>New plan. Goro was going to die. He was going to die on the spot from embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>He took the tea.</p><p> </p><p>She didn’t say anything, but she did smile. It was small and pretty and made her face light up. Goro sipped on his tea. He had a lot to think about. Thankfully the night was almost over, which would give him some much needed alone time. He could hear Shido’s boisterous laughter as he beckoned his men out of the room. Graciously, Goro finished his tea and bowed to the girls. They tittered quietly behind their hands when he thanked that <em> particular one </em>for her service— a blush high on his cheeks and colouring his ears— but said goodbye to him fondly. He’d probably see them all again the next time Shido dragged him out to ‘be social’.</p><p> </p><p>But when that time rolled around again, it was the usual girls who greeted them at the door of the ochaya. There were no bold grey eyes to speak of. Just a sea of the usual brown and black. Goro tried not to let his disappointment show. The maiko had probably been standing in for one of the other girls— in fact, he could hear her offering her apologies to one of the samurai that favoured her for being sick during their last visit. The rest of his night passed in a disinterested blur. Just when he’d almost come to terms with his apparent new interest in women (woman. Just the one. He’d tried in the previous days in a way he hadn’t since he was a teenager. Just a glimmer of attraction to another woman and he would have been...happy? Perhaps just content with the results of his experiment. But none had held his interest in the same way that maiko had).</p><p> </p><p>He fell back into the same routine of brushing off their advances politely, only replying when spoken to, and keeping to his own thoughts. Shido didn’t even notice. He rarely noticed anything Goro did if it wasn’t directly tied to his own image and his ridiculous machinations with their government. (He seemed to think that, if he just bribed the Shogun enough and weaseled his way into the court enough, he would be spared the forced retirement his peers were slowly finding themselves in.)</p><p> </p><p>Goro lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling of his room and contemplating the benefits of going mad.</p><p> </p><p>There was only one way to sort out his mind. He’d felt like he’d been knocked loose from his usual, steadfast position and was now drifting through an endless ocean of grey and black and red. Goro had to see her. He had to meet her properly. There was something <em> magnetic </em>about her that drew him in and he had to know what it was— like the samurai who grew obsessed with the Dutch sailors at the port— and formed a half baked plan. Goro had no lessons or meetings scheduled for the latter half of his day and Shido rarely asked for him in person. So long as he, as Shido’s ‘legitimate’ heir, was safe and kept their image spotless he was allowed to do whatever he wanted.</p><p> </p><p>So visiting the tea house in the early afternoon was easily within his means. Goro greeted the mother of the house with a deep bow. Despite her easy-going demeanor he could see the calculating look she fixed him with. He’d never been here without Shido before, so this was out of the character she’d probably assigned him with in her mind. The entryway’s curtain fluttered in the evening breeze behind him.</p><p> </p><p>“What can I help you with today, Goro-san?” She asked, tilting her head in a way that made the single decoration in her chime with the bells placed in it. Her kimono was purple with large yellow flowers. Non-standard, but it suited her.</p><p> </p><p>“I know this is a little out of the blue, but I was hoping to speak with you about...setting up a reservation. To meet one of the girls that had helped us the other evening. I didn’t catch her name, I apologize.” Goro had to force himself to keep eye contact with her, not wanting to be seen as awkward or a brat.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, I wonder if you mean Ren. She had to stand in for one of Shido-san’s usual requests at the last minute.”</p><p> </p><p><em> Ren. REN. </em>Goro’s heart fluttered in his chest.</p><p> </p><p>“She wore the red kanzashi."</p><p> </p><p>"Yes. You're in luck. She's free today, but she's expensive. Are you sure you can afford her?"</p><p> </p><p>He swallowed hard, he'd known this was probably the game the mother of the house was going to play and had prepared accordingly. Once more he bowed to her. "Yes, okaa-san. Anything." Goro pulled a money pouch from inside his clothes, stashed away in a hidden pocket and held it out to her in both hands. "I hope this will be enough."</p><p> </p><p>The mother's eyes narrowed as she counted through it. She seemed to be assessing both him and the money that he'd gathered from his hidden stashes.</p><p> </p><p>"Very well, I'll lead you to her."</p><p> </p><p>She took him down the halls of the ochaya and across a courtyard with a small pond until they were at the girl's private quarters. Goro swallowed thickly. He'd been expecting to just be taken to a meeting area like they were usually seen to. That way he could speak with Ren frankly and find out exactly what it was that attracted him so. The house mother knocked on one of the doors that she brought him to.</p><p> </p><p>"Ren, you have a visitor." She called, then turned to Goro. "I trust you more than those other men you're usually with, but if you try anything funny I'll break you. Understood?"</p><p> </p><p>"Absolutely." Goro said, sounding far more strangled than he would want to. And then he was left alone.</p><p> </p><p>There was silence. Just him and the door and the quiet on the other side of the room. Was Ren even in? He doubted the house mother didn't know her own girl's schedules. Was he supposed to just open the door? Goro's hand trembled as he reached out for the doorknob. Only one way to find out. Steeling himself, he turned the knob and pushed the door open.</p><p> </p><p>Goro blinked. That was a lot of exposed skin, oh heavens that was a lot of skin.</p><p> </p><p>The robes were slipping down his shoulders-- his, <em> his </em> -- exposing the long planes of the man's smooth, bare chest. It was tied only loosely around his waist by a sash that was barely holding the lapels together. He had short, tightly curled black hair and piercing <em> grey eyes.  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Oh. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Ren." Goro had to cover his mouth with his hand. Was he laughing? He wasn't sure but he was definitely shaking. Oh this explained <em> everything </em>.</p><p> </p><p>"Call me Akira." Said the man, stalking forwards. The train of his robe dragged across the floor as he walked. The deep baritone of his voice was unmistakable. "Let me guess. Lala-chan thought this would be funny. I'll show you the way out."</p><p> </p><p>"No!" Goro was still gaping. "No, wait. Wait. I wanted to talk to you."</p><p> </p><p>"You wanted to talk to Ren." The man was practically on top of him now, baring down with a sneer.</p><p> </p><p>"No. I wanted to talk to <em> you. </em>"</p><p> </p><p>That gave Akira pause. He pulled back from where he seemed to be towering over Goro-- despite not being that much taller than him-- and stared him down quizzically. "What do you mean?"</p><p> </p><p>"I've never..." Goro had to take a deep breath. Since he'd never told anyone his secret, he didn't want to start now. Something told him that if he didn't come clean he'd never see Akira again. "I've never been interested in women. But then I saw you at Shido's meeting and something about you just. It drew me in. I wanted to know what it was. What was it about you that made me change so suddenly?"</p><p> </p><p>Akira raised an eyebrow. He took two long strides that corralled Goro back against the door he'd just come through. "You're one of Shido's little lackeys. What makes you think I'd be interested in anything you have to say?"</p><p> </p><p>The thought of being grouped with Shido's men made Goro snarl. "I'm not anything like those bastards. It's not by my choice I'm forced to spend time with him. He's my father."</p><p> </p><p>One of Akira's delicate hands tilted Goro's chin upwards. "Ah, there you are. No more of those fake pleasantries around me okay?"</p><p> </p><p>"What?"</p><p> </p><p>"I can read you better than you can hide your real self, Goro-chan." Akira moved his hand away and Goro had to fight himself from pulling it back. "Come and sit with me. We'll talk."</p><p> </p><p>Although he’d know his name from Shido’s party, it was a little strange to hear it coming from Akira’s deep voice. There was a sliding door against the back wall that Akira opened. It overlooked the little walled garden that Goro had been led through by Lala. Akira took a seat on the wooden veranda and patted the space next to him. Feeling like he was wading through a dream, Goro sat next to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me about yourself.” Akira sat with his knee up, arm on top of it and chin resting on his arm. It was difficult for Goro not to stare at the long lines of his bare skin.</p><p> </p><p>“There’s not much to know. I’m trained with a sword. I like flowers and hiking.”</p><p> </p><p>“And men.” Akira shot him a sly smile.</p><p> </p><p>“And...men.” It was getting easier to admit. Akira hadn’t run from him or thrown him out when he said it the first time and it gave him a small amount of confidence in it.</p><p> </p><p>The other man slid closer, then closer still, until he was right up against Goro’s body. They were practically breathing the same air. “I’ll let you in on a secret.” Said Akira, boldly pressing his forehead to Goro’s. “I like men too.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh.”</p><p> </p><p>Akira’s stunning grey eyes were locked on his, sending shivers of anticipation up Goro’s back and arms. He wanted to grab hold of Akira’s hands and arms and exposed shoulders and never let go. The thought took root in his brain until it possessed him.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want to kiss me?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.” His words were whispered, like if he spoke too loudly he would break the spell that Akira had placed him under.</p><p> </p><p>His hands reached out and cupped Goro’s cheeks, slowly bringing their lips together in a chaste kiss that felt like <em> living. </em>Their eyes fluttered closed. Each brush of skin against skin was sweet as sugar until Akira pulled back with a pleased smile. Goro chased after him for a second one. He would have gone for another, addicted immediately to the quiet sound of surprise Akira made, but he held a finger up and made him pause.</p><p> </p><p>“You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I did.”</p><p> </p><p>Akira’s hands moved to his neck, and then shoulders, and with a little push he was suddenly kneeling over the top of Goro. The robes he wore were perilously close to falling completely off of his body— meaning that Goro’s eyes kept darting down and back up as he fought with his own desires. The look on Akira’s face was one of a predator.</p><p> </p><p>“I assume…” Those dangerous hands of his trailed down Goro’s clothed body. When they reached the himo tying his clothes together, his fingers paused. “That you’ve never done anything with another man, before?”</p><p> </p><p>“Never, with anyone.” Goro watched Akira’s proud, grey eyes take in his own form where he was spread out on the wooden deck.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want to? You’ll never be the same again. If you say no, you can go back to the existence your father wants for you. Pretend to be the good boy that he wants. Sire some heirs with the girl he picks for you.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro caught Akira’s face in his own hand this time. “I want it. But, please, don’t feel indebted to do this because I paid for your company—“</p><p> </p><p>“I can fuck for my own pleasure, Goro.”</p><p> </p><p>The blush on Goro’s face had reached its peak. Any more and he was sure that he would burn up where he lay underneath Akira. His hand was surprisingly stable where it touched the other man’s skin; he was sure it should have been shaking. “Then, Akira, what do you want to do?”</p><p> </p><p>Akira’s eyes narrowed. He turned his head to place a kiss to the flesh of Goro’s hand. “Usually I wouldn’t take someone who has no experience, but I want to see you fall apart. I want to see more of your real reactions.”</p><p> </p><p>“These <em> are </em>my real reactions!”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, and no. You’re still burying yourself away.” He took the hand that held his face and pressed it against the floor. “But, let’s move away from here. We have an audience.”</p><p> </p><p>“A— a what—“</p><p> </p><p>“Some of the girls here—“ Akira pulled him to his feet and shuffled him back into the main room, before sticking his head through the sliding door. “Have no sense of <em> privacy!” </em></p><p> </p><p>The door was slammed shut in one, swift movement. Akira took a moment with the door shut to breathe. His shoulders heaved, up, then down, before he turned back around to Goro. That predatory look was back in his eyes. It sent shivers up his spine. He got the distinct feeling that he was about to be devoured. Willingly. Akira stalked over to him, deft fingers pulling apart the strings keeping his hakama together, and kissed him hard. The kiss wasn’t the chaste, delicate thing from earlier. Goro gasped into it and Akira took the cue to push his tongue into his mouth. He felt inexperienced and clumsy against Akira’s practiced movements but Goro was nothing if not a quick study. </p><p> </p><p>It felt like no time at all before the fabric of his hakama was bunching around his ankles and the kimono underneath was quickly following. Goro’s hands shook as he grabbed at Akira’s own robes— despite being mostly naked at that point, the idea of pulling off what little clothing Akira wore by himself was strangely terrifying.</p><p> </p><p>“Do it.” Akira whispered against his lips. Their eyes were just barely open, enough for Goro to see the molten silver of Akira’s sultry gaze.</p><p> </p><p>With numb fingers, he pushed the robes down and off of his shoulders until it was just the two of them and their naked bodies in the dim light. Goro’s breath caught in his throat as he finally got to see him with no barriers. One of Akira’s hands reached up and pulled apart the tie that kept Goro’s long hair out of their way. It cascaded around his shoulders, prompting Akira to run his fingers through it from his scalp down to the ends.</p><p> </p><p>“Beautiful.” He muttered, once more urging Goro down onto the floor and onto his discarded robe. “How can anyone look at you and not want you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Akira— don’t— don’t say that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why not? It’s the truth.” He covered Goro’s body with his own once more before peppering kisses down his bare neck. “I can’t wait to have you. This is going to be a little uncomfortable at first, though.”</p><p> </p><p>Akira sat up, kneeling between Goro’s spread thighs, and reached for a drawer in the wooden unit next to them. He rooted around inside for a bit before pulling out a clay pot. The lid was screwed shut tightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Lala-chan insisted I have this when she found out I like men.” He rolled his eyes and unscrewed the pot. With a deliberate touch, Akira dragged his fingers through the liquid inside. “Raise your legs.”</p><p> </p><p>“What is it?” Goro asked curiously as Akira’s fingers brought the gelatinous substance dangerously close.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s made out of seaweed. Don’t worry.”</p><p> </p><p>The first press really was as uncomfortable as Akira had warned, despite the slick easing the way. Goro had to force himself to breathe. “Akira…” He gasped, finding himself tensing up without meaning to.</p><p> </p><p>“Shh.” Akira’s other hand traced the edge of Goro’s face. “What’s your favourite flower?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em> Really </em> , Akira? Right <em> now </em>?” He couldn’t believe Akira was asking about flowers as he pushed a second finger inside of him.</p><p> </p><p>“It’ll take your mind off of it.” There were more kisses across his chest, Akira’s lips doing a very good job at distracting him when he reached Goro’s nipples— something he didn’t realize could be so sensitive and pleasurable to touch.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, okay! Spider lilies. It’s spider lilies.”</p><p> </p><p>Akira glanced up from where his teeth were worrying at the perky, pink nub underneath him. “Final goodbyes?”</p><p> </p><p>Something inside Goro rumbled with pleasure. It made his back arch as Akira’s fingers pressed against it— <em> more of that, </em> he wanted <em> more </em>of that. “No, rebirth— oh fuck, Akira!”</p><p> </p><p>Had another finger joined the first two? He wasn’t sure, because Akira was still pushing them against that thing that was filling Goro’s body with a low hum of arousal. His toes curled, fingers clenched in the fabric below him, he couldn’t believe you could wring those sorts of feelings out of his body—!</p><p> </p><p>“I’m in the right spot, huh? We can feel good like this too. We were made for this; <em> you </em>were made for this.”</p><p> </p><p>“Akira, just...please just do it!”</p><p> </p><p>The fingers in his body shifted away from that spot that was driving him crazy and pulled out of his body. Goro hadn’t even realized how hard he was until he glanced down, wanting to watch Akira press his cock inside him. He reached down to move his balls out of the way, hissed at the contact, and found himself locked on the way his body just <em> accepted </em>Akira’s cock. There was more of the lubricant smeared over him, making it’s way easier until Akira’s hips were pressed flush to his rear.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh…” Goro’s mind had gone blank. There was only Akira’s breath against his neck, his hands around Goro’s hips, and the heavy cock inside him.</p><p> </p><p>He felt his body go limp on the floor, save for his legs which tightened around Akira— he’d started moving away but it was only for him to thrust forwards gently. Against him, Akira rolled his hips in a slow circle. Goro could feel his panting breaths ending with a soft whine for <em> more, more, more </em>. Again, Akira began to move. He started slowly, letting Goro adjust to the new sensations coursing through his body, before beginning to pick up his pace. Akira's hands had found their grip on Goro's trembling thighs, using them like handholds to pull him down into each powerful thrust.</p><p> </p><p>Goro let out his most debauched moan yet. He was getting close unbelievably quickly, completely overwhelmed by the feeling of Akira taking him so thoroughly.</p><p> </p><p>"You're close, aren't you?" Akira asked, voice dripping with lust in a way that made Goro's body tense up. "Touch yourself."</p><p> </p><p>Goro reached down and wrapped his hand around the twitching base of his dick. He sobbed as the pleasure increased, to the point where his eyes rolled back in his head, and the telltale build of orgasm in his gut reached its crescendo. The tight circle of his fingers moved back and forth over the crown of his cock. His hips seemed to roll of their own accord into Akira’s movement— he was shaking apart at the seams, a white noise building in his head behind his eyes, until the stars burst with a wailing near-scream. Cum splattered against his navel but he barely noticed it, as Akira had pulled out gently and was desperately fucking into his own fist. </p><p> </p><p>There was a pleasant fuzz taking over Goro’s mind and a stray thought had him chuckling slightly as Akira’s cum joined his. The devastated, fucked out look in his eyes was stunning.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you thinking, Goro?” He asked, chest heaving as he caught his breath from all the effort.</p><p> </p><p>“I thought about how…” His voice was surprisingly hoarse, Goro noticed, as he spoke. “How disappointed my father would be, if he knew I was getting fucked like some common prostitute.”</p><p> </p><p>“Did you hate it?” Akira looked vulnerable for a moment as he let Goro’s legs relax from around his waist.</p><p> </p><p>“No.” Reaching up, Goro took Akira’s face in his hands and pulled him into a slow kiss. “It was amazing. You were amazing.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>After they’d cleaned up, Akira crowded up against him and gently laid his head on Goro’s bare chest. His fingers ran gently through the dark, curly hair that he had quickly become fond of. Goro realized that he could easily find himself falling asleep with the other man cuddling up to him. It was a strange feeling of contentment.</p><p> </p><p>“You know about me. “ He said, digging his nails in just a little to a happy hum from Akira. “Tell me about yourself.”</p><p> </p><p>There was a long moment of silence between the two of them before he felt Akira nod against his chest. He told him about how he’d been abandoned as a child— either his parents didn’t want him or they had died, he didn’t know which— and had been taken in by Lala-chan. As a man, she had expected him to just be a helping hand around the teahouse but as he grew he had aged into long limbs and an androgynous curve to his waist. He had started sitting in on the girl's lessons to become maiko. (Something Goro was immensely pleased for, as he ran his hand over Akira's exposed body.)</p><p> </p><p>In return, Goro told him about his mother.</p><p> </p><p>He didn't remember her very well. His memories of her we're blurry and unfocused but her words had carried through the years. When he met his father, Goro had known not to trust him. And then, when his mother had disappeared, he'd known who to blame. Shido took every opportunity to remind him that he would have grown up in the gutter, with a prostitute for a mother, if it wasn't for him.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Goro.” Akira turned in his arms to give him a baleful look.</p><p> </p><p>“My problems are <em> my </em> problems, Akira. It’s nothing compared to what he’s done as the Daimyo.”</p><p> </p><p>Another quiet moment passed between them.</p><p> </p><p>“You know what I mean, don’t you?” Goro asked. He stared resolutely at the ceiling, as he couldn’t bear to see Akira’s reaction.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. But you’re not him.” Bare skin pressed against bare skin. Akira sat up and swung his leg over Goro’s waist to sit on him primly. “You won’t let yourself become him.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re unfair. I’ve only just met you and I feel like you know me better than I do.”</p><p> </p><p>Akira just winked down at him. "Put your clothes back on, I'll introduce you to the other girls."</p><p> </p><p>Once they'd both gotten dressed, Akira in something more appropriate than the robes Goro had met him in, he was shown out into the rest of the building. Goro could hear laughter from a group of people, echoing down the wooden corridors until Akira pulled open one of the sliding doors. He stood in the doorway with an uncharacteristic scowl on his face.</p><p> </p><p>"You lot need to learn to keep your nose out of my business!" He growled, voice dripping with a serious anger that had Goro's eyebrows shooting up into his hairline--</p><p> </p><p>At least until a skinny girl with long, black hair threw herself at Akira and flattened him to the floor with her own body. They were both laughing.</p><p> </p><p>"Absolutely not! You gotta tell us everything, Akira!"</p><p> </p><p>He pushed her up with one hand on her forehead, deftly avoiding her grasping hands as she tried to smack him for the injustice. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"</p><p> </p><p>The girl turned her head to stare, wide-eyed, at Goro. Then in a scramble of long limbs and manic energy she grabbed hold of Goro's jacket and bodily dragged him into the room. He found himself standing before a small table that seated an eclectic group of people. He even recognized a couple of them from Shido's meetings.</p><p> </p><p>"Hello." Goro said as Akira shut the door behind them. He tried to bow without thinking about the group's collective glower at his head.</p><p> </p><p>"I'd tell you I'm judging you, Akira." One of the girls said. "But I think you know I am already."</p><p> </p><p>"You were right though, Makoto, he's not like the other guys."</p><p> </p><p> Makoto rolled her eyes at him. “No— I said he’s <em> not </em> interested, unlike the other guys.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, not interested in <em> you </em>!” The skinny girl from earlier crowed. She was shuffling a stack of brightly coloured cards. “You. New guy. Come play me, the others keep saying I’m cheating.”</p><p> </p><p>“Goro, this is Futaba. The other girl is Makoto and the guy is Yusuke. He helps out sometimes.” Akira introduced him to a few of the others as they sat down opposite Futaba. “Be careful with Futaba. She cheats.”</p><p> </p><p>“Rude!”</p><p> </p><p>He sat down— wincing slightly, which made Futaba giggle under her breath— and took the cards that he’d been dealt. “Don’t worry, I’ve got a pretty good eye for cards. Are we playing koi-koi?”</p><p> </p><p>The only reply she gave him was a sly smile. Akira slid into the space next to him, pressing his shoulder against Goro’s, to watch as Futaba laid out the next set of cards on the table. It was comforting to have Akira at his side. Between the two of them he was sure he would notice if Futaba was up to anything tricky (which, by the third round, he knew she absolutely was).</p><p> </p><p>(After that it turned into a game of trying to cheat without being caught.)</p><p> </p><p>Late in the night, when both of them had accepted that it would surely end in a draw, Goro gently nudged Akira awake. He’d been napping against his side, only half paying attention to the game.</p><p> </p><p>“I should go, before I’m missed.” Goro said, leaning his forehead against Akira’s.</p><p> </p><p>It was with a great effort that Akira led him to the front of the tea house. The night was quiet, only a few groups could be heard behind closed doors. Akira took Goro’s hands in his before the man could step outside the curtain.</p><p> </p><p>”I’ll see you again?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course. I’ll hardly be able to stay away.” Goro stepped forward into Akira’s space once more before kissing him desperately. They gripped each other’s hands as if it meant they’d never have to let go. But, slowly, Goro drew away. “Next time, Akira.”</p><p> </p><p>The days after that seemed to pass in a hazy blur. Goro couldn’t keep his mind off of Akira’s hands on his body, the molten look in his eyes as they came together, or the way their bodies just seemed to fit together. Even his tutors called him out on his distraction. When Shido announced that he’d be bringing him to another party at the ochaya, Goro could hardly suppress his excitement. He did his best though— knowing that Shido would take any excuse to crush his bastard son.</p><p> </p><p>He fixed a pleasant smile on his face and graciously accepted his invitation.</p><p> </p><p>There was wine being passed around this time, as Shido was celebrating another piece of his grand scheme falling into place. The girls around them laughed at the men’s jokes and passed more wine over and ignored Goro. Instead, they let <em> Ren </em>take care of him. This time she blended seamlessly into the group. Her kimono was a deep black that faded to red halfway through. Red spider lilies spread across the fabric save for a bright white cluster right at Ren’s hip. Goro couldn’t drag his eyes away from it.</p><p> </p><p>Those brilliant grey eyes hardly left Goro’s for the entire night.</p><p> </p><p>It was when the party was winding down that things started to go sideways. Shido, drunk, dizzy with alcohol, stumbled to his feet and lurched for Ren’s wrist as she passed. His grip nearly pulled her off of her feet and, without even realizing it, Goro was also on his.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s so special about you, huh?” Shido snarled, his words slipping into each other through the alcohol. “Haven’t said a word all night— you just keep making eyes at that bastard son of mine. Trying to get in his good books are you?”</p><p> </p><p>Goro could see Shido’s grip get tight around the fabric of Ren’s kimono sleeve. The men were laughing, still drinking, acting like it was some long joke from their master. The world had narrowed down to just the three of them.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll get nothing out of him.” Shido was still talking. “He’s nothing, just like his mother.”</p><p> </p><p>He lurched forwards, knocking Ren down with his shoulder. Shido towered over her. Around them the men had gone quiet. There were only a few, awkward chuckles as they tried to keep up the humour from earlier— ruined by Shido reaching down for Ren’s lapels. Goro hadn’t realized he’d moved until he felt his knuckles sting and he was standing in between both their prone bodies. Shido clutched at his cheek, eyes unfocused, as he processed what had just happened to him. There was a red fuzz around the edges of Goro’s vision. His hands shook. His pulse pounded behind his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>The sliding door slammed open. Lala-chan, with Makoto standing behind her, strode into the room with the most furious glare that Goro had ever seen. She let Shido haul himself to his feet before laying into him.</p><p> </p><p>“Get out, I don’t care who you are but you know better than to put your hands on my girls!” She snarled, cowing even Shido’s cronies. “And if you even think of starting any trouble I’ll have you blacklisted from every tea house in this prefecture.” Her pointed finger jabbed against Shido’s chest.</p><p> </p><p>Behind him, Ren pulled herself up and gripped the back of Goro’s kimono. It grounded him from the urge to run Shido through with his sword— they weren’t allowed inside, but it wouldn’t be hard to find one— but it was when Ren pressed against Goro that he really let the breath he’d been holding go.</p><p> </p><p>“Stay with me, Goro.” He heard her say through the mess of hatred and anger that clouded his mind. Akira’s deep, quiet voice.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry.” He whispered as the men gathered Shido up and hauled him out. “I think I made everything worse.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro turned in Akira’s grip and lay his head against his chest. The wooden shoes he wore had him even taller than the other man, something that Goro had definitely noticed when Ren had stood to fetch tea. It was still making his mouth dry to think about.</p><p> </p><p>“You didn’t.” Akira said, running his fingers through Goro’s ponytail. “You protected me.”</p><p> </p><p>“I should leave…” He didn’t want to make things even harder on Lala-chan.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not going anywhere.” The house mother had her arms crossed over her chest, furious glare still in place even with Goro the last of the party left. “I’m not letting you go back to that man’s house until he’s stopped acting a fool. I know what he’s like.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okaa-san, are you sure?” Goro could hardly believe his ears.</p><p> </p><p>“I wouldn’t have suggested it if I wasn’t sure. Now go help Ren change. You can make it up to me later.” With a final flick of her hand, Goro and Akira were dismissed from the room.</p><p> </p><p>He watched Akira walk in a daze. He moved with the kind of grace that Goro could have only hoped to have been born with. Occasionally, his tutors lamented that he’d been born with the legs of a newborn deer. It felt like it took twice as long for him to learn anything— something that Shido would often hold over his head as <em> his mother’s genes </em>. The only time he felt confident in his body’s movement was when he held a sword or played shogi.</p><p> </p><p>Around Akira he felt like a bumbling fool.</p><p> </p><p>But Akira turned his head and glanced back at him, quickly taking in the way Goro was falling to his own despair. “I think I could fall in love with you.” He said easily, sweeping all other thoughts from Goro’s head.</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>“You said you’d help me get changed, didn’t you?” He’d said nothing of the sort, but Akira was already opening the sliding door to the back room and dragging him inside by the sleeve. “Come on. This stuff is heavy.”</p><p> </p><p>Completely knocked off balance, Goro helped him undress. There was far more fabric than he’d been expecting and Akira was right— it was very heavy. Each piece had to be folded and put away in a specific way. Then, when he was completely naked, he showed Goro to a sequestered away room. To his surprise, it was a bathing room. Large enough for many of the tea house’s girls to clean away the pale makeup that covered their face and neck. Many times during the night, Goro had found his eyes drawn to the curving dip of the kimono at Ren’s shoulders. Akira pulled off Goro’s own clothes deftly and left them in a heap on the tatami outside.</p><p> </p><p>Akira handed him a tub of an oily substance that melted away the pale makeup on his face and neck. Mechanically he washed it away. It was intimate, almost uncomfortably so, to be stripping Akira bare in a different sense than his clothes. The red highlights over his eyes disappeared with a swipe of Goro’s cloth. His plump, red lips faded away. Underneath it even his eyebrows were differently shaped. He felt like a different person, buried away under layers and layers of white and red. Then Goro filled a bucket with warm water and washed away even the stuff that had removed Akira’s makeup.</p><p> </p><p>Throughout it all, Akira remained silent. He sat with his hands on his knees and back perfectly straight. At least until the final pass of the cloth over his body.</p><p> </p><p>“My turn.” </p><p> </p><p>His syrup-thick voice startled Goro out of his reverie. Akira ushered him into the stool that he’d just been sitting in and lathered up a different cloth with soap, before gently running it over Goro’s skin in turn. This was a different kind of intimate, the kind that made Goro tremble, and he quickly realized why Akira had been so silent throughout the process. If he opened his mouth he would have said something stupid.</p><p> </p><p>Then, with the both of them clean, Akira tugged him up and brought him to the shallow bathtub.</p><p> </p><p>“Lala-chan likes you.” Akira said, reclining in the water. “She wouldn’t have asked you to stay if she didn’t.”</p><p> </p><p>“I appreciate her offer.” Goro stared at his knuckles, where he would inevitably bruise. Shido’s cheekbone had been surprisingly hard. He hoped there would be a matching one on his father in the morning.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me what you’re thinking, Goro.”</p><p> </p><p>Akira already knew one of his deepest secrets. For a moment he wondered if he should tell him some kind of platitude, something easy. Something anyone would be feeling at that moment, like, “I’m scared for the future” or “I can’t believe I did that”. Instead he pressed his sore knuckles to the nails of his other hand to feel the sting again.</p><p> </p><p>“I want to kill my father. He doesn’t deserve his position. I don’t know if I’d do a very good job of being the Daimyo but I think I’d be better than him.”</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, slowly, Akira reached out and pulled his hands away from themselves. “You want to succeed him?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>“I might be able to help. Come on.”</p><p> </p><p>Dressed only in a towel around his waist, Akira led the way back outside and to his room. They paused only long enough for Goro to scoop his clothes off of the floor. There was a spare futon rolled up tightly and placed by the door that Akira shoved into Goro’s already overly full hands.</p><p> </p><p>“You can put that wherever you want.” He said idly, shedding the towel and pawing through cabinets for something else for them to wear. “Here, we’re about the same size.”</p><p> </p><p>Now wrapped in the cotton nightgown, Goro unrolled his futon and sat on it heavily. He watched Akira amble about, getting his own, putting on a gown, all as if he hadn’t just told Goro that he would help him assassinate the Daimyo. How, Goro wasn’t sure, but there was a certainty in the lines of Akira’s body. When their beds were set up— next to each other, of course— he laid down next to him with his head propped up in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re going to poison him. It’s easy.”</p><p> </p><p>“You say that like he’ll let either of us near him.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh he will.” Akira rolled on his back. “He’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow, as if you’d just spent the night at a mistress’ house, because he can’t make it public that he grabbed me like a pervert. He’ll even probably apologize to you in public, but only in front of the guys that were there that night. Then when you’re alone he’ll either try and kill you or threaten you.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro blinked down at him. “That...sounds like something he’d do.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know his type.” Akira held out one of the kanzashi that he wore in his hair when he was dressed as Ren. “We can coat this with poison and then you just stab him with it. Break some walls and say it was an attack or just pretend you have no idea what’s going on.”</p><p> </p><p>“People will question it, they’ll know I was there when he died.” Goro frowned. There was another option, though. “Unless you do it. No one knows who <em> you </em>are. They only know Ren. And if we’re found in my bedroom…”</p><p> </p><p>“Then the killer disappears.” There was a wicked grin on Akira’s face that mirrored the one on Goro’s. He sat up quickly, pushing Goro down as he went, and straddled the other man. “Clever. I knew you were ruthless.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro twisted his head to kiss Akira’s wrist where it was next to his head. “It’s the only part of me I get from <em> him </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“No.” There was a blush traveling across Akira’s cheeks. He glanced away. “There isn’t anything of him in you. You’re only yourself, Goro.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro could only smile in reply; a lopsided thing that fluttered and died as quickly as it came. Instead he focused on Akira pulling open their gowns and settling gently on his waist. His hands were tender and slow and where skin met skin it sent chills up Goro’s spine.</p><p> </p><p>“I wasn’t going to do anything today after what happened, but...do you want to try something different?”</p><p> </p><p>“I want to try everything with you.”</p><p> </p><p>Akira laughed. He tipped his head back when he did so, exposing the long line of his throat. Goro wondered when he'd ever be able to take his eyes off of him. Then Akira reached for the same pot as before. He shed his open gown and threw it aside before drawing himself up on his knees. For a moment Goro missed his weight, until he realized that Akira was reaching underneath himself with slick fingers and his brain short circuited at the prospect.</p><p> </p><p>"Akira, are you…?"</p><p> </p><p>His molten silver eyes locked into Goro's. Already a red blush was travelling down his neck and chest. There were wet noises, Akira's fingers rubbing over themselves and into his body, and the sound of his quiet panting. Feeling bold, Goro reached up and rolled his thumb over one of Akira's nipples. It made him shiver but it wasn't quite the reaction Goro was hoping for-- so he did it again. A little pinch and short tug and Akira groaned. His back arched, pushing his chest further into Goro's wandering hands. Akira's eyes had gone unfocused and cloudy with lust, rocking into his own fingers and Goro's pinching ones, until he shook himself awake. He pulled his hand away and gently grasped Goro's now very erect cock.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay, the first time I did this I came really fast— so don't feel bad if you do. It's normal."</p><p> </p><p>"Akira!"</p><p> </p><p>"Right, right."</p><p> </p><p>At Goro's impassioned moan he began to sink down on the dick below him. Unfortunately for Goro, Akira had been correct. The moment the other man settled on his hips, Goro felt his mind white out and his body thrust hard into the wet heat above him— and came back down gasping. Akira, to his credit, didn't gloat. Instead he shuffled up Goro's body and held his throbbing cock near his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>"Just until you get hard again. Please." He looked as wrung out as Goro felt.</p><p> </p><p>Desperate for it.</p><p> </p><p>Goro opened his mouth. The scent of salt and bitterness was overwhelming, accompanied by the raw smell of Akira, as he guided his cock into Goro's mouth. He moaned around it and flicked his tongue over the slit where Akira was leaking. The taste, to his surprise, was not disagreeable. Akira's hips twitched, moving the hard cock further into his mouth until it bumped against the roof of his mouth. His throat seemed to reject the idea of taking more than half of it so Goro focused his attention on what he could swallow. He traced the edges with his tongue, ran it over the head, and moaned at the taste filling his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>"Goro, you're doing so good." Akira's hand petted gently over his head, urging him further and encouraging him to take more and more. “So eager for me.”</p><p> </p><p>Underneath him, Goro squirmed. His cock was starting to throb again. The pulse of lust through his body made him whine and ache for the contact of Akira’s skin on his. “Please, please— Akira please!” He begged and pleaded, laying desperate kisses on the cock sliding into his mouth, until Akira pulled away.</p><p> </p><p>The way he knelt over Goro felt predatory. The smirk on his lips said '<em> I want to eat you alive </em>' and Goro wasn't sure if he'd ever say no. Slowly he began to sink back down on Goro's dick. He was slick and fucked open and the tension from earlier was gone. This time Goro could actually enjoy the way Akira swallowed him down with his body. The way his thighs trembled. The way his eyelids fluttered closed. Akira let out a long, debauched moan that did more to Goro than he'd like to admit. Akira's deep voice was like a drug.</p><p> </p><p>"You can move." He muttered, rolling his hips down against Goro.</p><p> </p><p>He gripped hold of Akira's hips and set his feet against the floor for leverage. Goro hadn't any experience, but his body knew the motions even if his brain was spinning out of control. He thrust up into Akira's welcoming hole and groaned loudly at the friction— "Fuck, you're so tight!"</p><p> </p><p>The world could have burnt up around them and Goro wouldn't have cared an inch.</p><p> </p><p>Akira's face was slack, red around the cheeks with blush, and he kept biting at his bottom lip like he was fighting back his own reactions. Surging upwards, Goro pulled his lip free. The movement buried Goro deeper inside him and they moaned in harmony. He thrust up harder and harder, dragging his hand over Akira's body until it reached his throbbing cock, desperate to see Akira's expression when he came. And certainly he was close. His voice had pitched just higher and when Goro wrapped his hand around him, Akira bucked and arched into it. Goro couldn't stop moving, not even if he wanted to, chasing the brink of building pleasure low in his gut as Akira all but screamed his name—</p><p> </p><p>His vision blanked out. There was only the surge of his hips into the tight, wet heat. Goro pushed himself as deep as possible and tugged Akira down tightly against him. All of it happened in a millisecond of incandescent, trembling pleasure.</p><p> </p><p>When Goro began to come back to himself, Akira was still seated on him. He looked winded, chest and shoulders heaving with the effort to breathe, but very pleased with himself.</p><p> </p><p>"Hello, handsome." Akira chuckled, petting Goro's face absently. His voice was hoarse.</p><p> </p><p>"Hello yourself."</p><p> </p><p>With a great effort, Akira pulled himself off of Goro's slowly softening cock. He hissed as it slipped from his body, landing back on Goro’s pelvis with a wet slap, and glanced between his thighs. “Wow. You really made a mess of me, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>Goro could see his cum trickling down Akira’s creamy skin. He whimpered. There was no way he could get it up again so quickly, but his body made a Herculean effort.</p><p> </p><p>“What? You want to see?” With shaking legs, Akira turned around above him. He lent forwards just a little and pulled his toned cheeks apart. The sight of his hole, loose and sloppy and wet, made Goro’s mouth go dry. <em> He </em>had done that.</p><p> </p><p>The cleanup took a little while longer that time. Akira insisted on cleaning himself out— “Alone, Goro, or we’ll never get done!”— before they settled down for bed. Just before they were both pulled under by the call of sleep, Akira reached out under the sheets and took Goro’s hand in his. There was a content smile pulling at his features that Goro found himself staring wistfully at. He wanted to fall asleep to that face again. Maybe forever.</p><p> </p><p>They woke the next morning, bright and early, to prepare for Shido to send someone to collect his son. Akira shoved Goro out of the bedroom when he’d gotten dressed as apparently he wanted it to be a surprise for him as well. Outside the bedroom, he had to deal with Futaba’s knowing smirks. She was sitting on the floor with her knees up to her chest and would not stop giggling.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t get me wrong.” She said, leaning closer to him. “I’m glad he’s found someone he likes, finally.”</p><p> </p><p>“Finally?”</p><p> </p><p>“He’s kind of a brat.”</p><p> </p><p>There was a bang on the wall next to them. “So are you, Futaba!”</p><p> </p><p>She stuck her tongue out at him, even if he couldn’t see her. “Well, I hope you stick around. I like you too.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro could only smile back at her. They waited for Akira to finish getting ready together. When the door finally slid open, Goro thought he might swallow his tongue in shock. It was <em> Ren </em> who stepped through. Ren, but different. Not painted the white and red of a geisha but undeniably beautiful. Where he’d gotten the wig from, Goro had no idea but it cascaded about his shoulders in loose waves that drew the eyes to his face. His makeup was stunning, distracting from the masculine until all that was left was <em> Ren. </em></p><p> </p><p>Goro realized with a start that it didn’t matter what he looked like, <em> Akira </em>was who he wanted.</p><p> </p><p>“They’ll probably be here soon.” Goro said, taking one of Akira’s hands in his.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you ready?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know if I ever want to see <em> that man </em>again.” He ran his thumb over the back of Akira’s hand, lost in the way his fingers tangled with Goro’s.</p><p> </p><p>Akira brought their shared hands up and kissed Goro’s knuckles. His expression was nothing but mischief. “I think that’s okay.”</p><p> </p><p>They had to pull away from each other— pointedly ignoring Futaba’s hacking and wheezing noises— when Lala-chan poked her head around the corner and informed them that Shido’s carriage was there. Together, they walked the short distance and Goro got to see first hand how Akira’s body language went from <em> Akira </em> to <em> Ren. </em>She was sweet and demure, body tilted towards Goro, with fluttering lashes and a coy smile.</p><p> </p><p>Ren wrapped her hands around Goro’s arm as they reached the fluttering curtains in the entrance. Goro pushed them open, letting her go first, before stepping out of the tea house himself.</p><p> </p><p>“I should have known you’d be hiding with <em> her </em>.” Came the voice of the one man that Goro absolutely did not want to hear from. Shido was standing next to the carriage, adjusting his sleeves and looking like he wanted to be anywhere other than in front of the ochaya.</p><p> </p><p>“Father.” Said Goro, voice pinched and strained. “What a surprise.”</p><p> </p><p>“I thought it’d be best to collect you myself. After all, I have some good news for you.”</p><p> </p><p>Anything that was good news for Shido was not good news to Goro. He scowled and turned to Ren. “Change of plans. Stay here, I have to know what he’s planning.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure?” Ren asked quietly. “We don’t know if it’s safe to go alone.”</p><p> </p><p>“Exactly. If he had you killed in the castle, I don’t know what I’d do.”</p><p> </p><p>Ren nodded. She looked concerned and frustrated and at war with the idea of letting Goro go. “Alright. But come back soon.”</p><p> </p><p>There was nothing said between Goro and Shido as the carriage left Ren behind. The silence was crushing. His father’s glower at the opposing wall was suffocating. Behind them the tea house fell away, but Goro didn’t look back. Part of him thought that, if he saw Ren’s retreating form, he would jump out and abandon his life— run away to live in a geisha house with some boy he’d just met.</p><p> </p><p>“So.” Said Shido as they approached the castle. “You’re in love with that girl, aren’t you?”</p><p> </p><p>Goro shot him a dark look from the corner of his eyes. Perhaps he would be in time, but saying no would bring up far too many questions. “Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>“No matter. You can have a geisha as a mistress if you wish.”</p><p> </p><p>“A— A mistress?” Something was very wrong if Shido was being so nonchalant about the idea of his son sneaking away with a woman.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. I’ve finished the arrangements for your marriage, there’s a girl in the next prefecture who you’ll be marrying. We’ll be leaving to see her father about it tomorrow.”</p><p> </p><p>“Tomorrow?” Goro’s fists clenched at his sides. They were at the steps of the castle, surrounded by Shido’s men, and he wanted nothing more than to punch his father again. “That’s too soon. How long have you been planning this?”</p><p> </p><p>Shido’s answering smirk told him everything he needed to know.</p><p> </p><p>Snarling, Goro stormed through the castle. Doors were thrown open and slammed shut behind him. He blew past the servants and staff that reached out to assist him until finally he reached the stables in the back. There was one person in particular that he was aching to see— the one person in the whole castle that really understood— but when he saw a shock of blonde hair next to a spiky mess of black, Goro felt the tension in his body slide away. He hadn’t realized Ann would be back in the country so soon.</p><p> </p><p>Ann was the daughter of some Dutch merchant that often stopped by their port. She’d made fast friends with Goro, mostly without his input but also with a lot of foreign food. Then she met Ryuji and dragged him into her orbit as well. Goro didn’t think it was possible for anyone to dislike Ann (no matter how much he’d tried at the beginning).</p><p> </p><p>As soon as she caught sight of him, she was already running. "<em> Goro! </em>" She shouted and he still couldn't believe that she was actually happy to see him. Even after knowing him for so many years.</p><p> </p><p>He didn't want to know what would have become of him if he didn't have their easy companionship and casual touches. It was a dark path that was all too simple to imagine. But the thoughts of what he could have become fled when Ann threw her arms around his shoulders and dragged him around the messy dirt of the stables. Even Ryuji seemed pleased to see him, leaning on a wooden fence and was quickly swept up too. Ryuji helped look after Shido’s horses. Not the original man that had sent Goro’s sexuality for such a loop but, privately, he would admit that he was not <em> un </em>attractive.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t think you’d be here!” She said, hanging off of his shoulders as they both hugged Goro tightly. “Ryuji said you’d gone out with your dad and hadn’t come back yet.”</p><p> </p><p>“I...met someone.” Goro’s face burnt with embarrassment as he admitted it. Ann and Ryuji deserved to know. “That’s why I didn’t come back with the others.”</p><p> </p><p>His two friends blinked, then turned to each other. Broad grins spread over their faces before they somehow pressed even closer. </p><p> </p><p>“Dude! Tell me <em> everything </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes! No holds barred, Goro!”</p><p> </p><p>Despite being his longest friends, Goro hadn’t exactly been honest with them about his sexuality. The thought of them discarding him when they found out made his heart ache. However, he knew they’d like Akira. There was something about him that he knew would fit with the others.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, alright. But let’s go inside.” He dragged them into the stables, away from any prying ears, where he told them the whole story. Minus the part about potentially poisoning his father.</p><p> </p><p>“Goro.” Somberly, Ann placed a hand on his shoulder. He had turned defensive, drawing himself inwards, but her touch relaxed his tight posture. “I’ve known you weren’t exactly into girls <em> forever </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Ryuji was nodding along with her, looking entirely unsurprised at his friend’s heartfelt confession of his deepest secret. On the one hand Goro was pleased that they weren’t going to abandon them but, on the other, he felt almost robbed of a bigger reaction. He couldn’t believe they’d guessed. He was upset that they’d guessed! Goro shook his head to clear his thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>“What gave me away?”</p><p> </p><p>Ann ran a hand down her own waist and did a strange little shimmy with her hips. “You’ve never wanted all of <em> this </em>of course!” She was laughing as she did it, making Goro roll his eyes and shove her sideways. “It was just a feeling I had, you know?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well you were right.” Goro sighed, leaning against the door to one of the horse’s stables.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay, though, man.” Ryuji said from across the room. “I don’t really get it but if that’s who you’re into then whatever. You gotta introduce us! I’m not gonna let it go until you do.”</p><p> </p><p>“Actually, I need your help with something…”</p><p> </p><p>His plans with Ryuji and Ann took some time to prepare and by the time they left the stables, the sun had begun to set in the distance. They had caught up with Ann and her adventures in another country— always interested in the world outside of Japan’s closed borders— and lost themselves to their long conversations once more.   </p><p> </p><p>The next morning, Shido’s men woke Goro up uncomfortably early. He was used to an early morning due to his lessons and training but the sun had yet to breach the sky— it made him scowl as he dressed. They had a long journey ahead of them and it was not one that Goro looked forward to in any way. The horses and Shido’s personal carriage were ready by the time he stepped outside. He rarely sat with his father, and certainly not if he had any choice in the matter, so mounted his favourite horse instead. Goro stuck to the edges of the group when they started to move forward. The town was slow in the early morning with yawning civilians moving from building to building as they went about their day.</p><p> </p><p>Goro’s goal was approaching quickly.</p><p> </p><p>He knew Ann and Ryuji’s mission had gone off without a hitch when Ren pushed the curtains open and stepped out of the ochaya. Without even glancing at his father, Goro pulled his horse to the side and dismounted— there were some confused noises around him and he could hear Shido barking orders from his carriage, but Goro ignored all of it. It fell away as he walked up to the beautiful vision in front of him. She was in the spider lily kimono again. It was hard to pull his eyes away from her. So he didn’t. Staring into Ren’s beautiful grey eyes, Goro knelt down in front of her. He took one of her delicate hands in his and kissed her knuckles openly. Mirth lit up her eyes as Ren had to cover her smirk with the long sleeve of her kimono.</p><p> </p><p>“Ren, wait for me.” Goro said. Just loud enough that the men around him could hear, but low enough that it seemed intimate.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.” She said back to him quietly. The liquid of Akira’s voice was hidden away, much to Goro’s dismay, somehow. He hadn’t known that she could pitch her voice up that much.</p><p> </p><p>Feeling positively elated that his plan had gone off without a hitch, Goro pulled himself back up onto his horse. Now Shido’s men knew he had someone he was serious about. It would only be a matter of time before the rumour had spread around the town. People would know before they even made it back later that night. He had to smother a grin as his horse trotted off to catch up with the waiting entourage.</p><p> </p><p>The journey between prefectures was long and frustrating, with few breaks for the horses. Shido said nothing to him the entire time. He didn’t even call for his attention. When the township that they were traveling towards came into view, Goro let some of the tension that he’d been holding go. There had been a chance that his father would rig some kind of attack on the road (although he had brought both of his swords with him), especially with his thumbing his nose at him so openly. </p><p> </p><p>He hadn’t been told many details of his potential marriage partner. Just that she was the daughter of some businessman that had been courting Shido’s favour. Goro didn’t even want to meet her, let alone have an actual conversation with her. It wasn’t her fault that both of their fathers were <em> trash </em> but that didn’t help his disgust at the idea. Her family home was small compared to the castle that Goro had grown up in, but was hardly substandard. They were greeted outside by their servants, some of whom took away the horses while others led them inside the building. Still Shido refused to look at Goro. He did, however, plaster his fake-glass politician’s smile on when the head of the household greeted them.</p><p> </p><p>Goro was introduced to Kunikazu Okumura and his daughter, Haru. She kept her eyes on the floor and deferred to her father when questioned and Goro hated her every fiber. For being so subservient. For being so nice and polite and cute. For being <em> her. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> And not Akira. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He swallowed down the vitriolic spitting that was building in the back of his throat before bowing in greeting. Again, he had to remind himself that it wasn’t her fault.</p><p> </p><p>They were brought into a little room where they knelt around a short, wooden table so that their fathers could hash out their plans to marry them off. It sounded like he wanted to get Goro out of his hair as quickly as possible. There was a house in the town that they were supposed to move into, Haru’s father’s company to look after, work they were supposed to fulfill. Goro hated every second of it. When the two older men moved away to get something stronger to drink, the room became quiet and shockingly frigid. Haru's pleasant facade had dropped.</p><p> </p><p>"Let me get one thing straight with you." She said with undisguised disgust. "I may be expected to hear your children, but if you touch me without my permission I will cut you open. I do not like men."</p><p> </p><p>Goro opened his mouth, then shut it. He had to reassess his initial assumptions of Haru. “That’s okay.” He said finally. “I don’t like women much either.”</p><p> </p><p>It was Haru’s turn to look at him like he’d grown two heads. She covered her mouth with one of her hands to hide her laughter. “Does your father <em> know </em>?”</p><p> </p><p>Feeling almost hysterical, Goro shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. They put us two together even though…”</p><p> </p><p>“Even though!”</p><p> </p><p>The both of them had to suppress their chuckles so that they wouldn’t alert their fathers. Goro had to shake his head to really stop laughing. “I don’t have a plan yet, but I’ll think of something. Even if we do end up having to get married.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think it’ll be all too bad. We’re already being honest with each other.” Haru shrugged, but she looked like it still wasn’t a future she wanted.</p><p> </p><p>“Only as a last resort.”</p><p> </p><p>When the two older men came back into the room to collect their charges, Shido regarded Goro with suspicion. He was met with Goro’s best passive smile. It warmed his heart to know that his father’s plans would always fall through— even if he didn’t realize it. Leaving was both easy and harder than he’d thought it would be. Genuinely he wanted to stay and get to know Haru. As far as he knew, Goro had only ever met one other person like himself (Akira. It always came back to Akira). But they finally said their goodbyes, with Shido and Okumura promising to continue their talks later.</p><p> </p><p>Goro couldn’t help but urge his horse forward harder the closer they got to his town. He could feel her sides heaving between his legs, but both of them relished the burst of speed as the wind whipped their hair back. Goro could hear Ryuji calling out to him as he crested the hill closest to the town— as well as his horse’s rapid footfalls.</p><p> </p><p>“Dude you are <em> not </em>going to believe this! C’mon, before your dad gets here!” He span his horse around on her heels, taking off before Goro even had a chance to ask him what was going on.</p><p> </p><p>They ran alongside each other towards the castle with their horses almost neck and neck. Ryuji’s horse was fresher, but Goro’s was a champion. By the time they made it back they were both breathless with laughter. To Goro's surprise, it wasn't just his father's retinue waiting for them; there were strangers mixed in amongst the servants when they dismounted that helped take away the horses. He gave Ryuji a questioning look but the other man was already running off into the castle. Goro had no choice but to follow.</p><p> </p><p>There was a hushed silence down the hallways that spoke of reverence. Muttered whispers followed Goro and Ryuji's backs. He had to wonder exactly what was going on, it wasn't like the actual <em> Shogun </em>would be in his house.</p><p> </p><p>Goro closed the door he'd just opened.</p><p> </p><p>"Ryuji. Why is the Shogun in my house?" He sounds like someone was strangling him. A noise escaped his throat like a tea kettle.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't know, man! He said he wanted to talk to you and your father and we couldn't just leave him outside."</p><p> </p><p>"Ryuji, I smell like horse and the Shogun is in my house."</p><p> </p><p>"Just go in there!"</p><p> </p><p>He was shoved forwards, back into the room that he very much didn't want to be in alone. The larger, jolly looking man was sat at a low table with a shogi set in front of him. From where he was standing Goro could see that the match was so far very close. Opposite the Shogun, with his brows furrowed in thought, was Akira.</p><p> </p><p>Of course it was Akira. At that point, Goro wondered why he would expect anyone else.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, welcome back!" Said the Shogun, moving one of the pieces across the board to harry one of Akira's. "Your servants told me you would be back some time today, I hope I'm not intruding too much."</p><p> </p><p>"Of…course not, Sir." Since the Shogun hadn't looked up from the game, Goro was desperately making questioning faces at Akira as he spoke.</p><p> </p><p>"And this is one of my sometimes assistants, Akira-san." He said, gesturing to the man that Goro already knew.</p><p> </p><p>"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Goro-san. I'm Ren's brother." Akira gave a small bow, looking entirely like the cat that got the cream, before destroying the Shogun's strategy in one deft move.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, you know Ren-chan! Wonderful lady. Very skilled. Come, sit, we have a lot to talk about before your father returns."</p><p> </p><p>Stunned, Goro sat next to Akira and watched them reset the shogi board. He'd known that Akira was intelligent but watching his mind work at strategy was something else entirely. Goro desperately wanted to play against him later. There had been a shortage of good challengers after he'd gotten the hang of the game.</p><p> </p><p>"So, you want to take over as the Daimyo from your father?" The Shogun asked, piece clicking under his fingers.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes my Lord."</p><p> </p><p>"I'm sure you're aware of this, but there are a lot of things changing right now."</p><p> </p><p>"Yes." He'd gathered as much from his father's desperate machinations to stay in power. "I believe that...change can be good. As long as it's for our people."</p><p> </p><p>That got him a winning laugh. The man seemed the happy sort with smile lines creasing the corners of his eyes and thin hair. Goro had never met him before, had never been taken on any of his father's business trips. He wondered how they could stand each other.</p><p> </p><p>"You're very wise for such a young man. I look forward to seeing you grow up."</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you, Sir."</p><p> </p><p>One of the servants announced his father's return. Goro braced himself for impact. He was still in his travelling clothes, swords strapped to his waist, and smelt vaguely like sweat and horse. The Shogun himself hadn't said anything but he was sure his father would. When he stepped through the door it became obvious that the man had taken the time to put himself together. He looked like he hadn't just spent a day's hard ride travelling between prefectures. Shido did, however, look at his son like he was little more than trash on his heel.</p><p> </p><p>Akira took his leave to prepare tea for the group. Inside, Goro was screaming to go with him. The shogi set was quickly packed up and put away and the gathered men put on their best polite expressions. Goro felt like his pleasant smile would shatter at any moment. It was worse than the marriage talks. Eventually Akira returned with the tea. The sight of him made Goro think of the ochaya and of their time together in Akira's room. He felt the blush heating his cheeks and surreptitiously ducked his head. Shido didn't pay him any attention, only making mild conversation with the Shogun. Akira definitely did, however, and shot him a devilish grin.</p><p> </p><p>The tension was practically unbearable. Goro kept his eyes locked on Akira as the two older men spoke. Occasionally Akira would interject with a point and the Shogun would usually <em> agree </em>with whatever it was. Goro was going to go completely insane before they'd even discussed whatever it was that the Shogun felt it so important to come all the way out there for. Eventually, the older man cleared his throat and pulled back from the conversation.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, as interesting as this conversation is, I’m afraid I have come here on a rather important matter.” The Shogun said, nodding along with his words. “I introduced you to Akira-kun earlier. He and his sister are very important people to me. He came to me recently with a request and seeing as I am his guardian in some ways...Masayoshi-san, I would like to know if we could arrange a marriage between your son and Ren-chan.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro’s eyes went wide. He was making the whistling tea kettle sound again. Across from him, Akira’s pleasant smile had morphed into a grin smugger than Goro had thought a human could make. He wasn’t just the cat that got the cream anymore— Akira had eaten the entire canary. Shido seemed to be having a similar problem parsing the words he’d just heard. Probably doing the mental gymnastics it took to get his way again. This wasn’t in his plan. It was so far outside of his plan.</p><p> </p><p>“It doesn’t have to happen straight away, of course! Ren-chan is training to become a geisha and she would have to retire. It would be a shame to put all that work in.” The Shogun was waving his hands as if he could placate Shido by patting the air. He seemed to think that the problem Shido had was with the speed of the arrangement. “But I think it would be nice. She’s very intelligent! Very diligent, hard working. I’ve only met her a couple of times myself…” He trailed off.</p><p> </p><p>“Please.” Goro bit out. He still had a look in his eyes like he was staring down death, but if this was Akira’s plan then he was going to jump in feet first. “Father. You know I’m in love with her.”</p><p> </p><p>The Shogun, who Goro still couldn’t believe he was sitting next to and sipping tea with, whispered something under his breath about ‘young love’ and nudged Akira with his elbow. Akira nudged back. Goro nearly put his head in his hands. </p><p> </p><p><em> Maybe I’m drunk </em> , he thought, <em> or this was all some kind of fever dream </em>.</p><p> </p><p>Shido’s sharp eyes darted to his son. He knew he was pushing it, risking getting slapped later for his insubordination in front of his father. But it was the <em> Shogun </em> who had brought up the idea first. His father couldn’t very well say no—</p><p> </p><p>His next words were cut off by a loud yawn from Shido. It startled Goro so badly that he jerked backwards where he sat. Shido had brought his hand up to cover his mouth and Goro could see Akira’s eyes darting between them. Between that same hand and Goro’s reaction. Whatever conclusion he was coming to was interrupted.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh!” Said the Shogun. “I suppose it has been a very long day, hasn’t it? You only just got back from your trip— where did you say you went again?”</p><p> </p><p>“To...visit a business partner.” Shido stared at his hand, like it had personally offended him. His skin was getting pale and clammy and when he suddenly jerked to his feet he lurched to the side. “Goro. Show our guests some hospitality.”</p><p> </p><p>In his seat, Goro trembled. He watched Shido’s retreating back before glancing at Akira. There were a thousand things he wanted to say in that moment but with their present company he stayed silent.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course. Let me show you our guest rooms.” He hoped they were good enough for a man obviously used to opulence.</p><p> </p><p>Goro had front row seats again to the Shogun’s easy going chatter. He spoke to Akira like they were old war friends— not a young man and the ruler of the entirety of Japan. There was definitely a story behind their relationship. He’d have to ask later. When he stopped feeling like a cat-tail could knock him on his ass. Eventually he showed the man to one of their spare rooms, where he was immediately flanked by his servants, and then was left alone with Akira.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s...find somewhere private.” Goro muttered, reaching out to take one of his hands. Akira let himself be led again. He took Akira to his own room. Sparsely decorated. Plain compared to the homey feel of Akira’s place back in the tea house. Goro felt like he was being judged in a thousand different directions as they stood there in silence. Akira seemed to be waiting for him to speak first. “How do you know the <em> fucking Shogun, </em>Akira? Please. Enlighten me.”</p><p> </p><p>“If I let you in on a secret, a really big one, do you promise to take it to your grave?” Akira still looked smug, but there was an aura of seriousness about him.</p><p> </p><p>Goro nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“The real Shogun is my friend, Hifumi. We play shogi together. The man you met back there is Yoshida-san. He’s a figurehead.”</p><p> </p><p>The floor was getting closer— no, Goro’s legs were going out from underneath him. He was sinking along the closed door behind them until his knees were up to his chin and his head was in his hands. “You’re telling me that the <em> actual Shogun </em>is a girl. And that the man my father has been trying to butter up this entire time is actually a fake.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, essentially. Her family couldn’t produce any male heirs before her father died. It’s not like you can just adopt a son into the family to become the Shogun, you have to be born into it. So when she was younger she came up with the figurehead idea. Yoshida-san’s a good guy. Not very good at shogi though.” Akira sank down next to him. He looked pretty solemn about the whole affair.</p><p> </p><p>He felt his head hit the back of the sliding door. It made a pleasant <em> thump </em>sound, so Goro did it again. Then a couple more times for good measure. Akira had to reach out and put his hand between his head and the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay. Second question. Did you just drug my father?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t notice.” He had the self-awareness to look bashful. “Yeah. Should take effect in a couple of hours.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hoping I <em> wouldn’t notice </em> ?!” Goro’s voice reached a pitch he hadn’t hit since he was uncomfortably young, but despite that he had to keep it quiet. Too loud and someone would come questioning. “My father does not just...yawn. Especially not in front of <em> important company </em>. He thinks it’s a show of weakness to be tired, or something.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well. If we’re still being honest with each other, he won’t be feeling much of anything after the drug really hits him.”</p><p> </p><p>They locked eyes; Akira’s liquid-smoke grey on Goro’s smouldering red-brown. “You’re kidding.”</p><p> </p><p>“You can’t back out of it now.”</p><p> </p><p>“I wasn’t planning to.” Goro launched himself forward, pushing his body up against Akira’s and knocking him to the ground. He grabbed Akira’s chin in his crushing grip and dragged their gasping mouths together in a desperate kiss. A multitude of unspoken thanks travelled between their tongues. In a short while he would be free of his father, no matter what that future held for him.</p><p> </p><p>“We can’t—“ Akira gasped, his own hands going to Goro’s hips and pulling him down against the hot bulge of his erection. “We can’t be caught. When the servants check on him— you’re supposed to— to love—“</p><p> </p><p>“You. I think I love <em> you </em>.” Goro moaned against the soft press of Akira’s lips against his. “No one else would— would ever—“</p><p> </p><p>He ground his hips down again, urged on by the panting breaths against his neck from Akira. “I know, I know.” He was saying, words slurred by the hurried rutting of two young men. “Always, Goro, I’ll always—“</p><p> </p><p>They came together, heads thrown back in pleasure, bodies shivering in each other’s grip. A trembling warmth ran down Goro’s spine at the feeling of Akira’s hand petting the back of his neck. His head was cotton stuffed and fuzzy and the body underneath him was comfortable. Goro let his head lay against Akira’s chest for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>“We should...probably clean up.” He muttered after a moment, though not making an effort to move away.</p><p> </p><p>“Mmm.” Akira mumbled.</p><p> </p><p>“And go to bed.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mmm.” Came from below him again.</p><p> </p><p>“Go to sleep and get crusty then.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro laughed and eventually extracted himself from Akira’s clutching arms. It took him a small while to get their beds set up, legs still unsteady from their pleasure, but he collapsed onto his own and began pulling off his traveling clothes.</p><p> </p><p>“I still smell like a horse.” He grumbled, untying his ponytail.</p><p> </p><p>“We can change that.” From his same position on the floor, Akira wiggled his eyebrows at Goro lasciviously. “Just need to get sweaty again.”</p><p> </p><p>“No, I hate you. Go to sleep.” Goro resisted the urge to throw his pillow at the other man. He knew, deep down, that he wouldn’t get it back if he did.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s not what you said earlier.” His words were like a brand across Goro’s mind. Akira crawled closer, across the floor, to lay opposite him. He seemed content.</p><p> </p><p>“I...apologize if it came across too sudden. I don’t know what came over me.” Goro rolled onto his back. He refused to make any more eye contact with Akira before he said something even more stupid. His dick had taken over his brain, surely.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t apologize, Goro.” The distance between them was chilly, until Akira reached out and threaded his fingers through his long hair. “I don’t want you to think you ever have to apologize for how you feel. I...admit I don’t really feel the same yet. But...I do care about you. A lot.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro rolled onto his side so that they were finally looking at each other. The fingers in his hair were quickly soothing the ache of thinking far too much. He let out a tired breath that held the world and it’s problems in it before letting himself sink into his dreams. Just for one night, he wished that it would all fall away.</p><p> </p><p>It was early morning when he was awoken by frantic banging and the sliding door to his room being thrown open. In a panicked haze he threw the futon blankets off and reached for his swords— only to meet empty air— but beside him, Akira was wielding a forgotten shoe like a weapon.</p><p> </p><p>“Young master!” The servant that had very nearly met the sharp end of steel looked on the border of tears. “You’re alright!”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s going on?” Goro asked, blinking the last night’s formless sleep from his eyes. “Tell me.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s...it’s your father, young master.”</p><p> </p><p>Surely—</p><p> </p><p>Goro’s heart stilled.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m afraid he passed away in his sleep. We were worried that he had been...that someone had...but you’re safe. You’re still alive.”</p><p> </p><p>Surely it wasn’t a dream. He glanced at Akira, who’s face had gone steely blank as if blinking would give away his innermost thoughts. “What...do I do?” The words stuck and tripped on his throat as he spoke them. They felt quieter, more unsure than they had any right to be. “Have you contacted a physician?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.” The servant bowed, seemingly also out of as much nervousness as Goro felt. “He said his heart probably failed in the night. It...can happen.”</p><p> </p><p>The world stretched out it’s arms towards Goro.</p><p> </p><p>Goro felt the future open up before him.</p><p> </p><p>Shido was dead.</p><p> </p><p>“I— I need to put his affairs in order. We should speak to the Shogun about what has to happen next. The...the Daimyo seat can’t be left open.” Goro’s mind was whirling over and over like petals in the wind. Beside him, Akira pressed closer as if to shore up a weakness. Immediately he felt as if he was on more solid ground.</p><p> </p><p>The next few days passed in a blur of letter writing and anxious visits from important people around the province. Goro was sure that he had met at least most of them, but many of his father’s <em> people </em> left him with a slimy taste in the back of his throat. Especially the ones that he hadn’t met at all. At some point Akira had left for the tea house. His absence felt like a piece was missing from the castle but Goro didn’t dwell on it. <em> Couldn’t </em>dwell on it. There was too much to do. Yoshida visited after one vaguely panicked day to give his blessings to Goro as the new Daimyo— he also said that they would hold off on any arranged marriage until Goro was more sure of himself.</p><p> </p><p>A letter had arrived from Okumura at some point as well, half buried under a stack of other missives, that Goro was putting off. The man was clearly gunning for Haru to be married to the newly-in-power Goro. It took too long to arrange a meeting with the man and his daughter. This time it would be on more neutral ground; Lala-chan’s tea house. He was sure Akira would get a kick from finding out Shido had attempted to marry him off to a girl who wasn’t into men.</p><p> </p><p>Ryuji came to him at some point to tell him that he’d be joining Ann on her father’s trading ship. They were leaving soon to bring back more goods to sell. There were tears beading in the corners of his eyes that Goro felt mirrored on his own.</p><p> </p><p>“You both have to come back within the year. I don’t know yet when I’m going to end up married after all.” Goro said, with as much sorrowful mirth as he could muster.</p><p> </p><p>“I wouldn’t miss it, man. You always said you wanted to be married in the spring so...I guess we’ve still got time.”</p><p> </p><p>Goro smiled warmly. He tugged his friend into a crushing hug, not wanting to let go. But eventually they had to part. “I’ll wait for you two to come back. Bring me something interesting, okay?”</p><p> </p><p>With a promise of returning with goods from foreign lands, Ryuji finally left for the ship. Goro would miss him dearly. He still hadn’t properly introduced him to Akira as well. </p><p> </p><p>It was too short of a time before he was meeting up with Okumura and Haru again. Goro felt like he’d aged twenty years in the short span since he’d last seen her, but she was just as cute as before. Lala-chan managed to convince her father to let her hang back and take a tour of the premises while he spoke with Goro. Perhaps the most shocking thing was how sad Okumura looked— he couldn’t possibly be mourning Shido?</p><p> </p><p>“I admit that, if this marriage does go forwards, I will miss Haru.” He said over his tea cup while they were speaking. “She’s my only child.”</p><p> </p><p>Pensively, Goro bit his lip. “I know this may come as a shock, Okumura-san, but I don’t plan on marrying your daughter.” He had to hold his hand up to stop the man from interrupting. “On the day we returned, before my father passed away, the Shogun asked my father if I would take a girl he knows as a wife. I don’t want to anger him.”</p><p> </p><p>Okumura’s brows furrowed. He clearly preferred Haru to the girl he didn’t know, but the Shogun’s wishes weren’t something you could ignore. Eventually he nodded. “I suppose I should start looking again, for a suitor.”</p><p> </p><p>There was a brief moment when Goro was about to agree, when the door to the room was suddenly flung open. Haru was standing there, out of breath, with a determined pout on her face. “I want to become a geisha!” She stated, loudly. She was wearing one of the girl’s kimonos— probably Makoto, judging from the colours— and had a small amount of pale paint on her skin.</p><p> </p><p>Goro could hear Futaba giggling in the corridor.</p><p> </p><p>“I realize that I am a little old to start training, but Okaa-san said that I should be a good fit and <em> isn’t it noble enough </em>?” She said everything in one long breath. Okumura looked rather taken aback.</p><p> </p><p>“You— you look just like your mother.”</p><p> </p><p>Both of them stared at the other with wide eyes. Haru covered her mouth with her long sleeves, tears beading at the edges of her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I...don’t want to see you go.” Said Okumura, slowly standing from his seat. His tea was abandoned. “But this is what you want isn’t it? I haven’t seen you look so stubborn for so many years.”</p><p> </p><p>Perhaps, Goro thought, he wasn’t such trash after all. With no way to bribe his father, he’d have to fulfill his dreams by himself. Later, Goro leant against the wall of the tea house. They were looking over the small garden and listening to the quiet flow of water in the pond. A few orange fish circled in listless twists of their fins.</p><p> </p><p>“What did you show her?” Goro asked. The weight finally seemed gone from his shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>“I introduced her to Makoto. They’re going to be insufferable.”</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t seem too upset about that.”</p><p> </p><p>Akira nudged him with his elbow, making Goro pretend to fall to the ground. They both laughed like there was nothing outside the garden but themselves.</p><p> </p><p>“You say that like we aren’t, too.”</p><p> </p><p>“Akira?” Goro peered up between his eyelashes, suddenly overcome with a bubbling feeling of shyness. It was absurd to feel so thrown off by a simple question— especially one towards a man who’d already seen him naked. “Would you move into the castle with me?”</p><p> </p><p>Akira’s eyes crinkled in the corners when he smiled. Goro couldn’t help but be entranced by the way he moved, the way he bit at his lip when he considered his response. The way he looked off to the side as if he was just as shy as Goro was at that moment.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. I’d like that.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The End </em>
</p><p> </p><p>(“Where did you even get poison from, anyway?”</p><p> </p><p>“So I know this lady, Tae-san, she’s an archer…”)</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It takes a year or so but they have a spring wedding, surrounded by cherry trees. (Ryuji cries through the entire thing. Hifumi and Yoshida attend. Akira gets to introduce Goro to Sojiro.) </p><p>They borrow a girl from another tea house as a stand in so people don’t question why it’s two guys getting married, but at the end of the night it’s Goro on the bed screaming his name :B The servants definitely know, but they keep it quiet.</p><p>Also, they adopt three kids. Two girls and a boy.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>